Latchkey kids - were you ever one?

For 2 days I was a latchkey kid. Or was I? The back door was never locked so I didn’t need a key. I can’t recall how old I was but if I ran home from school there was Muffin the Mule or The Flower Pot Men on, on tv. I do remember thinking how I wished the tv would warm up quicker though. Those two days stayed in my memory. I was bored. Feeling unable to go out and play with my friends as my foster mother would worry if I wasn’t in when she got home. Many years later I asked her where she was when I had to come home and not have her there. Seems she was at a funeral the first day and out with a few of her sisters, the 2nd. An afternoon showing of a film one of her sisters had been banned from seeing by her husband. Much to my annoyance she couldn’t recall the name of the film but said it was a pathetic one, bad actors, silly story line and not in the least as interesting as her sisters husband must have thought, to females.

91?

My mum never had a job, once she was married, though money was always tight.
I remember coming home from school one day, and she wasn't at home. It had never happened before, and I was devastated. When she turned up, a few minutes later, I was sobbing my heart out on the doorstep.

yes from the age of 7, when we moved after having lived with my nan. At first i used to get the key from a neighbour and had to return it immediately, then later on had my own key. i used to go in and wait until my parents came home, usually about the same time, 6ish. Then as i got older i would do any dishes, peel potatoes or anything else that needed doing and in winter would light the fire. On a friday i would get the bus, about a 20 minute journey to my nans, and would walk down the main shopping street to her house, about another 15 minute walk and this was from the age of 7. it makes me shudder nowadays to think of what could have happened, but never did, maybe because times were nicer then.

I was a latchkey child from a very early age. Loved it! Freedom to make a jam sandwich before my mum got home or wander down to one of the other flats in our block to see a friend.

No, my mum was always at home, when I returned home, from school.

Well almost: 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, my mother had to take my brother to the hospital for psychotherapy (he had been born with a club foot) so I had to let myself in but no one in our little town ever locked the back door so no key was involved. This went on from my being aged 5 1/2 until I left the Primary School, but after I went to Secondary, her bus got home just before I got in having cycled the much great distance home from the town, so the lackey kid epithet was no longer valid

My mum stayed at home until my sister, who is the youngest, started school so l was a latchkey kid from the age of eleven (l think my brother and sister were looked after by a neighbour until she returned home around half an hour after l did. I don’t think it did us any harm whatsoever.

No, my father was a GP so there had to be an adult in the house at all times to answer the practice phone and the door if anyone came looking for the doctor between consulting times.

It wasn't until I was 14 that I was allowed to answer the phone when my mother or father was in, and allowed to be for very brief spells , 20 minutes or so, alone in the house.

In Secondary School at 12ish I let myself in from school. I walked over a mile to get the bus home the 45 mins on the bus home. I was given responsibility at about 12 till then I was very protected.
There were just as scary things going on then as we have now. I was told if there was a problem go to a Policeman or to a lady.
Having the key to our home was a responsibility and being trusted was wonderful although made me initially a little nervous.

My mum did sewing for the local factory at home so was always in when I came home from school.

My two children were. Ages 5 and 7. I wish they had never had to be. I ignored their fears, but they were brilliant in supporting me so that I could work to put food on the table, pay utilities and buy essential shoes and clothes. They never complained. But the Shelley, Huddersfield, school teachers and headmaster should be ashamed 45 years later. They were bullies to single parent children of working mothers No benefits in those days. So very sorry Andrew and Caroline. But you have turned into compassionate and fine adults despite me. X

Yes, quite often . Mum worked various jobs with different hours so wasnt always at home come end of school. Father worked shifts so was at home some weeks. Never a key anywhere, door always unlocked. Had very basic cores to do after homework and relished trust and independence. Own chikdren once at secondary were often latchkey kids. They loved it apparently.

I was sent to boarding school at the age of 8. That’s really getting you out of the way!

I was the same as nanna8 an apple left for me in the shed ,no key to get indoors I thought nothing of it at the time .

I was but it was in the 80s had a key round my neck to let myself in. I used to pick up my younger brother from school as well. I didn't have to make tea we waited till my mum got in or my dad whoever was first

I was one too but I had the key around my neck on a piece of string for all to see!!! used to embarrass me and I was also frightened to be alone indoors. Both my parents worked, my mother wanted to more than had to and my brother was rarely there as he was much older. I could have been no more than 6 when it started.

Although my DM worked as an accountant, my lovely Granny lived with us so I never came home to an empty house. I don't ever remember having to do any 'chores' either.

Yes but the key was either under the mat or in the shed, there were 4 of us, I was the youngest and my school was closest to home so I'd be first one in & have about 20 minutes before the rest rolled in. There was always a list of chores left on the table with who had to do what and no arguing about it, mine was mostly picking veg from the garden, peeling spuds laying the table, pegging washing out in Summer etc My jammy toad brother never had to do very much because he was a boy!

Me too. I also had chores, one of which was lighting the fire which I hated. I didn’t mind coming into a empty house it made me feel grown up

I was on my own after school for about two hours at a very young age. In the winter it was very cold in the house and I used to get the coal fire started. I even used to hold newspaper against the fire place to make the coal catch light. Frightens me now to think what could have happened. We had a shilling slot machine for electric and the lights often used to go out. I used to have to go to neighbours to beg for the loan of a shilling to put in the meter. We also had old newspapers stored in the under stairs cupboard where the meters were and I could hear mice scurrying about amongst them. In the dark trying to get the shilling in the slot was terrifying. How times have changed.

No but it would have been nice. My granny who I lived with was always there, and waited on me completely. She saw this as her duty and did everything for me, cooked, cleaned, made all my drinks and snack etc until I left at 14. I was allowed out to play after lunch until teatime sometimes in the fields half a mile away with the dog and other kids.
Definitely had a culture shock when I moved back with mum at 14. She was ill and expected me to help a lot with paying bills at gas and electricity shops, taking younger siblings to doctors, dentists and hairdresser, taking laundry to the launderette, getting shopping etc. She always lit the fire and did the cooking though.
I left home at 16 and moved into a bedsit. Took a job in a Wimpy Bar as meals were provided before I taught myself to cook.

Yes and loved it. Both parents out at work. We did chores and paper rounds before school so did homework before parents got in. I always got up really early!

Yes I was and I LOVED IT.

My mum was a stay at home mum, she used to collect me from village school and something was always cooking for tea when we got in, very comforting and I can still almost taste her home made fish cakes! I worked p/t when mine were little, but was always home in time for them to come out of school. Things have changed sadly, I can't imagine my children or grandchildren having to be latchkey kids.